Blog Update

Hi guys!
Since this fall semester is over, I will probably stop writing in this blog regularly. But every so often, I will try to write a couple of reviews. So until then, see you all later and happy holidays!

Good Luck Dim Sum

         

       At the start of my fall semester last year, I kept hearing my dad talk about a really good, low-priced dim sum place in San Francisco. Good Luck Dim Sum is located on 736 Clement Street in the Inner Richmond Neighborhood.  It is open on Monday, and Wednesday to Sunday from 7 am to 630 pm. The place itself is located on a street where there a lot of different Asian food restaurants, stores groceries and other businesses.

       The first time my dad took me to the Good Luck Dim Sum, I was surprised. I had thought that it was like a restaurant where you sit down with carts full of different types of dim sum. In reality, Good Luck Dim Sum is actually one of those small take-out places on the side of the street. There are only a couple of tables in the back and all you can really do is order and take your food home or order and look for a seat in the back where you can eat. Good Luck Dim Sum is not really fancy or nicely decorated but just a simple take-out place with only the necessities to run the business. Throughout the restaurant, they have a couple of pictures on the walls and flowers.  By the entrance of the Good Luck Dim Sum, they have windows where the customers can look at the different types of dim sum they have available for the day. In the back wall, there is a menu that has the prices for each type of food you want to order written in Chinese and English. Other than the containers where they hold the food and the menu, the only thing they have behind the counter is a cash register. Since Good Luck Dim Sum is such a small place, they have only have about 8-10 tables in the back for customers to eat at. But even though the place itself isn’t as fancy looking as some other dim sum places, the main reason why I love this place is because of the food.

       Good Luck Dim Sum has a wide variety of dim sum you can choose from. When my dad brought me there for the first time we had ordered a number of things such as their dumplings, chicken and beef siu mai, and shrimp gow. All of the items were cooked fresh and tasted amazing. For at least a total of 20+ pieces the total amount we paid was somewhere around $15-$20.  Good Luck Dim Sum is the place to be if you only have cash on you but want a filling meal for cheap since most of their items are 3 for $1.60.

       To cut a long story short, Good Luck Dim Sum’s food is one of the best tasting dim sum I have ever had for cheap. The prices for their dim sum are perfect for those college students who are low on money or anyone else that is looking for a good inexpensive meal. Compared to Yelp’s rating of 4 out of 5 stars I would give 4.5 out of 5 stars. I feel as if this is a 4.5 out of 5 star restaurant because it has all the essentials that are needed to make a customer happy. Good Luck Dim Sum has efficient, quick service that serves freshly made dim sum at low prices. There’s nothing more one could ask for.

Max's Restaurant

      

       For years, my family and I have been going to the Max’s Restaurant that is located on 1155 El Camino Real in South San Francisco. Until recently, a new Max’s opened up in Milpitas on 1535 Landess Ave. It is open 7 days a week from 11am to 9 pm. Ever since the opening, it has become quite convenient for my family because we like eating there every once in a while and taking relatives that are visiting. Max’s Restaurant is a family friendly Filipino restaurant with a casual atmosphere. If reserved, one could also hold events such as baptisms or small family parties there even though the place itself isn’t that big. As one of the most known Filipino Restaurants in the Bay Area and the Philippines, Max’s Restaurant serves a variety of Filipino foods alongside their famous fried chicken.

       After going to Max’s Restaurant in South San Francisco for a number of years, my family already knows what dishes to order on the menu. So, the first time we went to the new Max’s Restaurant in Milpitas, we basically ordered the same food we had usually gotten at the other location. The order we placed was Max’s Fried Chicken, lumpia, pancit, crispy pata, sisig, steamed rice and Sinigang na tiya ng bangus. In comparison to the other location, the food at the restaurant was pretty much the same. Both places had a reasonable portion of food for every dish. Each plate of food tasted savory and delectable. The lumpia and crispy pata were perfect, crispy on the outside and juicy/meaty on the inside. The sisig was juicy and very flavorful, the fried chicken was big and tasty, and the Sinigang was hot and tasted just like it was home cooked.

       All things considered, I would recommend Max’s Restaurant to others. It is a good place to try out and eat some Filipino food if you are around Milpitas. But, if you are looking for a cheap take-out place for Filipino food, I would not recommend it because it is a little bit more expensive. Max is a nice casual restaurant where one could take their family or relatives or friends to on any sort of occasion. Most of the food portions are pretty reasonable for what you pay for the food. All in all, I would give Max’s Restaurant a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars just in comparison to Yelp’s rating of 2.5 out of 5 star rating. One of the reasons behind this is because I think that the service and food is pretty good. The servers are pretty attentive to your needs and are pretty good at following up on requests. The food on the other hand is a bit expensive but rather tasty.

Famous Dave's

             

           This past Father’s Day, my family and I went to Famous Dave’s BBQ for the first time. While we were waiting in line for Boiling Crab, we saw Famous Dave’s right across the street and it caught our eye so we planned to try it in the near future. The restaurant is located on 61 Curtner Ave in San Jose. It is open Monday to Thursday and Sunday from 11 am to 10 pm and Friday to Saturday from 11 am to 11 pm. Famous Dave’s has a casual atmosphere and is family friendly. Not only can you sit down and eat but you can also order take out from them as well and have them cater for an event you have planned. Famous Dave’s is an American Barbeque restaurant that serves a variety of barbecued meats, ribs, appetizers, salads, and burgers.

            When you walk into Famous Dave’s you notice a country-western type theme. The tables are dressed with picnic style table cloths and the walls are covered with various decorations.  The type of decorations include objects you would find in a country home such as cabinets filled with cups and cans, shelves with random house items, and old pictures.  At the bar, you will find multiple TVs where you can watch sporting events while having a drink. The restaurant is dimly lit to give a warm and cozy atmosphere. The friendly servers are dressed in all black attire to compliment the lighting.

            Since it was our first time dining at Famous Dave’s we had idea what to order. Looking over the menu, there were so many plates to choose from that looked appetizing we still had trouble deciding. So, when the waitress came over to our table, we asked her for some recommendations and she gave us a couple dishes that suited what kind of food we wanted. Before you receive your food, the waitress gives you a tour of the 5 different sauces that are placed on your table. The names of the sauces are Devil’s Spit, Texas Pit, Rich and Sassy, Georgia Mustard and Sweet and Zesty. We ended up ordering a rack of their award-winning ribs, the Ultimate BBQ Burger and the All-American BBQ Feast. All of these meals were AH-MAZ-ING. The ribs were juicy and the meat was very tender. The Ultimate BBQ Burger was big enough to feed maybe 2 people and you could taste every ingredient that was put in the burger. Compared to the other two meals, the All-American BBQ Feast was enormous. The Feast included, “a full slab or St. Louis-Style Spareribs, a whole Country-Roasted Chicken, ½ lb of  Georgia Chopped Pork, Creamy Coleslaw, Famous Fries, Wilbur Beans, four corn-on-the-cob and four corn bread muffins.” This was a meal fit for at least a family of four. We probably didn’t even need to order any other food besides that because it was so big. All of the food in the All-American BBQ feast was tasty and very satisfying.

            Overall, I would recommend this restaurant to large parties and small ones that are looking to eat some good tasty barbeque. From the number of times I've eaten here, I have never had anything but good experiences. The dishes are reasonably priced for the amount of food you are served in each platter. I would give Famous Dave’s a 4.5 out of 5 compared to Yelp’s star rating of 3.5 out of 5. I wouldn’t give Famous Dave a full 5 out of 5 rating because it still a little bit pricey compared to other local barbeque restaurants. But since the food portions are pretty big and the food is very mouth-watering it makes the price reasonable.

Boiling Crab

       In recent years, Boiling Crab has become a popular restaurant destination in the Bay Area. Since my senior year of high school, I remember hearing my friends talk about a really good seafood place that was somewhere in San Jose. They would always tell me about how good the food was such as the shrimp, fries and crab. Sometimes, my friends would also talk about how they would have to wait in line for an hour or more just to eat there because it was just THAT good. This past year, a new Boiling Crab location had opened up at the Plant on 71 Curtner Avenue Suite 20. The first Boiling Crab that opened up in San Jose is located on 1631 East Capitol Expressway.  At both locations, the restaurant is open 7 days a week, Mon-Fri from 3pm to 10 pm and Sat-Sun from 12pm to 10pm. Although I have not been to the original Boiling Crab on Capitol, that my friends were talking about, I have been able to go to the one at the Plant a number of times since it has opened. For this review, I will only be basing my opinions and critiques on my experience at the Boiling Crab location at the Plant.

       The first time I went to Boiling Crab, my brother treated me and my parents out for dinner. Upon entering Boiling Crab, you will notice many decorations inside. The theme of the restaurant is based around a fishing boat. There were fishing nets, fake fish, boats and many other decorations on the walls and ceilings. The walls and floors of the restaurant were all made out of wood to make you feel like you were eating on a boat. One thing that is unique about the wooden walls is that customers can write on any part of any wall with a sharpie or pen. For me, when I first saw a bunch of scribbles all over the wall, I thought it was random graffiti or a wall design. But as I looked closer, I could see people’s names, random quotes, pictures, etc. that people had written and drawn. Not only was the place decorated with fishing decorations and such but there were also multiple flat screen TVs stationed around the restaurant which usually played sports programs. The restaurant is a good place to take your family, a group of friends, or a date to either dine-in or take out. Even though the place itself isn’t that big it can still seat around 100 to150 people. But since the restaurant isn’t able to seat a lot of people at once, it does affect the wait time. Luckily, when my family and I went, we got there 20 minutes before it opened so we didn’t have to wait in line.

       One of the things Boiling Crab is most known for is how they serve their food. Once your party is seated at a table or booth, the waiter gives you either limes or lemons and a couple plastic containers that have salt and pepper in them. With those ingredients you can choose to mix the lime/lemon into the container to make a dipping sauce for your food. Before you even order your food, there is only a white paper table cloth and napkins/paper towels on your table. Right before they serve you the food, they tie a plastic bib, with the  Boiling Crab logo, on each person at the table. At the Boiling Crab, they do not give you any utensils, plates, or bowls to eat your food with unless you ask the waiter for some. The reason behind not giving you any utensils or plates to eat with is because dun dun dun…. you get to eat with your hands!!! The whole table is basically your plate, so all of your dirty napkins and food that you are throwing away is left on the table and when you’re done eating the waiter/bus boy will make a sack out of the paper table cloth and throw it all out. Of course, I have seen some first-time customers who do not like eating with their hands so they end up asking for utensils because of sanitary reasons, table etiquette or any other explanation. For me, I think that eating the food with your hands gives you a whole different experience because there are not many, if ANY casual restaurants like Boiling Crab that give you the opportunity to do that. I like the feeling of being able to touch my food especially if I am eating seafood such as shrimp, crab or lobster. I find it to be sort of fun tearing everything apart trying to get all the meat inside. Like myself, my family had no problem eating without any plates or utensils.
       When you look through the menu, you will find a variety of seafood as well as other extras. They not only serve different types of crab, but they also serve other types of seafood like shrimp, clams, and crawfish. With every order, you can pick a certain type of seasoning to go with your food. There are four types of seasonings which are rajun cajun (original), lemon pepper, garlic butter, and the whole sha-bang (which is all the seasonings in one). With every seasoning, you can also choose how spicy you want it to taste. The different levels of spiciness are non spicy, milk, med, and xxx. That seasoning will be mixed with your food in a clear plastic bag. The various sauces that your food is prepared in is what makes Boiling Crab unique from any other seafood restaurants. Also featured in the menu is a selection of fried foods and side orders. Among the fried foods are dishes such as fried shrimp, chicken tenders, and hot wings. There are also many side orders to choose from such as gumbo, sausages, steamed rice, and extra condiments. In addition, Boiling Crab also provides its customers with one size free soda refills. They not only serve soda but also water and alcohol.

The night my brother took my family out for dinner, we ordered a couple pounds of shrimp, blue crab, an order of snow crab legs and crawfish, chicken tenders, cajun fries and sweet potato fries. With our seafood orders we picked a seasoning and how spicy we wanted it to taste. For the shrimp we chose the whole sha-bang mild, for the snow crabs we chose lemon pepper non spicy, and for the crawfish and blue crab we chose garlic butter mild and non spicy respectively. In my opinion, I thought everything was DELICIOUS. All of the seafood was cooked thoroughly, the two fries were very tasty, and the chicken tenders were crispy and appetizing. All in all, I would rate Boiling Crab a 4.5 out of 5 compared to Yelp’s 3.5 out of 5 star rating. The only reason why I wouldn’t give it a 5 out of 5 is because it is a bit on the pricey side. But considering the friendly and casual atmosphere of the restaurant, the unique dining experience, how good the food tastes, and the helpful staff it is worth the price. Even though it is pricey, I would highly recommend Boiling Crab to any seafood lovers out there and any people who have never tried seafood before. The dining experience and the food are well worth one’s time and money.

Sushirrito

The first time I went to Sushirrito, my roommate and I decided to go on a Saturday afternoon. But, to our surprise, once we arrived, it was closed. We later found out that it is only open from Monday to Friday from 11 to 3. So, the next week, my roommate and I went back to Sushirrito on a Friday around 12 and sure enough it was open. I think that the time they are open for business is pretty inconvenient for those people who are not free during their lunchtime. It limits Sushirrito’s market to a couple different types of customers. For me, I felt it was sort of a hassle to get there just to see that it was closed and have to come back again when it was open, just to try it out.

Sushirrito is located in SOMA on 59 New Montgomery Street, a block or two away from the Montgomery Muni Stop. It is located around many business buildings and other food places such as McDonalds, Jamba Juice, Starbucks, etc. When you walk into Sushirrito, I noticed how small it was. Inside, there was only a small room where people would stand in line to order, a condiment table, a counter where they would make the food, the kitchen in the back, and the cash register. I was actually surprised that it was just a take-out spot but it made sense to make it that way because Sushirrito is only open for a couple of hours. According to Sushirrito’s website, Sushirrito offers, made-to-order, hand-held sushi burritos stuffed with savory Asian and Latin-infused ingredients and flavors.” On their menu, they have six different sushi rolls (sushirritos) ranging from $8.00 to $10.50 and two different sides, lava nachos and a side order of rice chips costing, $7.00and $1.50 respectively. To me, I thought that Sushirrito was a bit overpriced for their food but then considering how much six individual sushi cost at other places, their prices are reasonable. The Sushirrito that I ordered was the Sumo Crunch ($8.50) which contained shredded crab, cucumber, avocado, shaved cabbage, green onions, red tempura flakes and Sriracha Aioli for a sauce. The food itself was very delicious but the serving size was a little bit smaller than a burrito you would get a Mexican restaurant. All in all, I would give Sushirrito a 3 out of 5 compared to Yelp’s rating of 3.5 out of 5.  I think that the price of their food items are costly compared to the amount of food they serve. But even though I am not fully satisfied with the amount of food, I am content with the quality of it. The sushirritos taste fresh and very delicious. Each of the ingredients that go into each Sushirrito do not taste as if they had been stored in the fridge for days. Another reason why I would give Sushirrito a three is because I think the days and hours that it is open is inconvenient for a lot of people that are not around the area that it is located in. All in all, I would recommend Sushirrito to sushi lovers and people who have a little more than a couple of bucks to spend. I think Sushirrito is one of those food places that you would go to every once in a while because it is on the pricier side of take-out of food.

Ongpin

A couple of the main aspects that are emphasized in the Filipino culture are family, community and religion. In the article, “Filipinos sing, share festive foods, teach old ways to young,” it talks about how the older generation does not want the Filipino customs to die, so they try to teach the youth about them. As a Filipino American, my parents have brought me up learning Filipino culture and traditions by teaching me about our faith as Catholics, Filipino customs as well as the importance of family. My mom, who is a devout Catholic, always taught me to always pray to God before every meal in order to give thanks. Even in big family parties, everyone says grace together to bless the food that is there. Not only are my parents teaching me about our religion but also some Filipino customs too. As the main cook in my family, my mom cooks many Filipino dishes she has learned from her dad. Some of those dishes such as pancit (thin noodles mixed with vegetables and meat), adobo (meat in a vinegar sauce), ginataan (pudding with different vegetables, fruits and tapioca pearls), and longanisa (small, flavored sausages), lechon (full roasted pig) are served at different times of the day or specific occasions. For instance, pancit is typically served on birthdays in order to give the birthday celebrant long life. Many Filipino foods are based on other different cultures as well, such as the Spanish and Chinese. But even though, different plates may look and taste differently you should always be open to try new things.

One of the things Daly City, California is known for is its large population of Filipinos. By recognizing that there is such a huge Filipino community, one can expect there to be many Filipino restaurants around that area. The Filipino restaurant I will be reviewing and talking about in this blog is Ongpin. Not only is it a restaurant but a catering business as well. The restaurant is located on 73 Camaritas Ave right by El Camino Real and I280. It is open 7 days a week, opening in the morning, except for Tuesdays, when it opens at 5pm, and closing around 9:30-10pm. Ongpin is a sit-down restaurant but you could order takeout from them as well.

The first time I went to Ongpin I was with my family and we had no idea what to expect. We had only decided to eat there because we kept passing by it on the way to another Filipino restaurant close by, called Max’s Restaurant. But, ever since then, we have been coming back for their food. Compared to all the other restaurants and food places I’ve talked about in this blog already, Ongpin is not as decorated or as fancy. The inside of the restaurant is very simple, containing a big room with chairs, tables, the kitchen and registers. Despite the lack of decorations and such, Ongpin makes up for with its food. The items on their menu are priced between $2-$15 and come in big portions. The types of Filipino food Ongpin serves are an array of noodle soup, breakfast, rice plates, beef, pork, seafood, vegetable plates and many others. Some of my favorite dishes from Ongpin are their pork sisig (diced grilled pork that is seasoned with spices), pork adobo (pork chunks in a garlic-vinegar mix), pancit canton (Cantonese noodles), and Sinigang na Bangus Belly (a sour soup containing boneless milkfish with vegetables). Most of Ongpin’s dishes are cooked very similar if not the same as the traditional method of cooking the food, such as the lechon (fried pork with crunchy skin). All the dishes I had eaten were very delicious and were worth the price because of the amount of food we were given. Ongpin is a good, reasonably priced Filipino restaurant that I would recommend to a big group of people and anybody that likes Filipino food or hasn’t tried it. Ongpin will give the people who eat Filipino food for the first time a good first impression with their appetizing dishes. All in all, I would give Ongpin a rating of 4 out of 5 compared to Yelp’s review of 3.5 out of 5.

Clay Oven

This week we will be talking about Indian food and culture. According to the Encyclopedia of Food and Culture, Indian food is influenced by many people such as the Persians, Mongolians, and the British. Year-round their staple diet consists of meat, fish, rice, and vegetables. The types of meat they most commonly eat are chicken and mutton. Their diets change with every season. For example, in the summer, they eat food that is sweet and cold while in the winter they eat food that is greasy and hot (spicy). Not only do they eat specific foods during each season but they also use certain spices to go along with the food. In the wintertime, they use “heat-generating” spices to keep the body warm such as black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, etc. In each Indian meal, it consists of 3 main foods. The meal is made out of a central starch, a mixture of vegetables, and dal (a purée of lentils). With each serving, you have the option of having yogurt, relishes, or chutneys on the side. As a dessert, you can have something that is sweet and savory. Some traditional Indian drinks you can have are lassi (a yogurt based drink), aam panna (raw mango juice), and jaljeera (tamarind juice with cumin seeds). With this background about Indian food and culture, I hope that you will someday want to try their food and learn more about them.

In San Francisco, one of the Indian restaurants my roommate and I like to go to is Clay Oven. The restaurant is located on 385 West Portal Avenue and .is easily accessible by Muni or car. The venue itself is small with a casual yet fancy dining area. In the back of the restaurant they have a small bar and a couple tables for the lunch buffet. When my roommate and I went to Clay Oven to eat for the first time, we went there for the buffet. The buffet is open daily from 11 to 2:30 with different food selections depending on the day of the week. On the day that we went, there were about 8 to 10 dishes at the buffet table. There were traditional Indian dishes such as chicken tikka masala, chicken vindaloo, dal, and tandoori chicken. Other than the main dishes, there was also rice, salad and an Indian dessert like kheer. When eating at the buffet, they give you unlimited naan (flat bread) to go with your food. But if you just want to order off the menu you have to pay for everything separately. Since we were there for the buffet, I ended up getting about 3 to 4 plates of food. I tried every dish they served and they were all delicious. The meat was juicy, the vegetables were fresh and each dish had the perfect amount of spiciness.

When I talked to my roommate Katerina, who had just tried Indian food for the first time, she told me that it was better than expected because she thought everything was going to be spicy. But, after eating at Clay Oven she said, “The food was very delicious! My favorite food was the chicken tikka masala with naan because it wasn’t spicy.” This experience Katerina had affected her opinions about Indian food and culture. Compared to other Indian restaurants I have been to I give Clay Oven a 3.5 out of 5 and Yelp gives it a 3.5 out of 5 as well. The casual atmosphere, moderate prices and well made dishes make this a great Indian restaurant for families as well as college students. I recommend this restaurant to everyone of all ages and those who are first timers or Indian food lovers. It is a great place to get a variety of traditional dishes for a great price.

Taco Libre

Leaving school with a hungry appetite for Mexican food, I set my sights on the restaurant Taco Libre located in Park Merced. Surprisingly, I have never been there before even though it is really close to my apartment.  The restaurant is at a short walking distance on 55 Cambon Drive right next to 19^th street. As my roommate, Katerina and I were walking into Taco Libre, we noticed that there were only two to three employees working. They were responsible for cooking the food in addition to getting all the orders at the register. Even though the restaurant was small, the place was very bright and festive. There were a handful of tables in the seating area with a condiments area in the back. The walls were painted yellow and red with decorations of cartoon wrestling characters as well as a large, colorful menu which was handwritten in chalk.

As I was walking in, I could smell the delicious aroma of the freshly made food. My mouth already began to salivate from just the thought of how the food would taste. Taco Libre has a variety of Mexican food, desserts, and drinks. Their menu consists of burritos, tortas, tacos, soda, alcoholic beverages, and many more. The costs of each meal are reasonably priced, ranging from $1 to $13.  As a college student, the prices were perfect for my budget. After looking at the menu for quite some time, I could not hold my hunger back any longer and ordered a super burrito bowl. My roommate ordered a crispy taco and a regular burrito bowl. A super burrito bowl is exactly the same as the super burrito, which was also on the menu, but without a tortilla. It consists of meat (carnitas), beans (pinto), rice, salsa, cheese, guacamole, and sour cream. The only difference between the super burrito and regular burrito bowl is that there is no cheese, guacamole, and sour cream. The crispy taco was made of a hard taco shell, meat (carne asada), cheese, lettuce, sour cream and salsa. Once we placed our orders, my roommate and I waited at one of the tables. From there, we were able to watch our meals being cooked. Once the food was finished cooking, one of the employees delivered the food to our table. In my opinion, I thought the food was delicious! The ingredients tasted fresh and the meats were juicy and perfectly cooked. I look forward to trying out other dishes in the near future. Compared to Yelp’s rating of 3.5 out of 5, I would give this restaurant a 4 based on the great customer service, food, and ambiance.

Today, authentic Mexican restaurants throughout the country maintain their traditions and culture through their food. According to the Encyclopedia of Food and Culture, the maize flat breads or tortillas are a main staple of Mexican cuisines. The tortilla is used in most authentic Mexican dishes such as enchiladas, tacos, tostadas, etc. In Taco Libre, they still make their burritos and tacos with tortillas. Salsa, a popular condiment associated with Mexican food, has been around for centuries. It can be made in a variety of ways using vegetables, peppers, salt and sometimes fruits. In Taco Libre, they served different types of salsa like pico de gallo, salsa verde, and salsa picante. Typically, salsa is served with tortilla chips or as a sauce for an entrée. These traditional dishes are still made and served today in many Mexican restaurants.

Food & Culture

      Food is a necessity of life and it is one of the major sources of energy humans need to survive. But, food is not only something used for consumption; it can do many other things such as helping define a culture and helping people express their feelings towards others. By preparing the food a certain way and having it taste a certain way, it can become associated with a certain culture. The food can be fried, barbequed, sautéed, steamed, etc. These different methods of cooking produce different flavors and textures to the food. For some people, the taste of food or the food itself is associated with certain events, memories or feelings. While for others, the taste and look of the food can leave the person feeling a certain way about the culture. In this blog, I will review and compare food from a variety of cultures in order to understand more about the culture around the food, the making of the food, and how people from each culture interact with the food.
      From my own experiences, I have found that foods from different cultures are similar in the way that they use basic food staples to make a mouth-watering dish. Within each culture, the preparation of the food is different thus resulting in an assortment of delicious foods. For example, when I eat Chinese and Filipino food, I notice that the chow mein and pancit are made out of the same type of noodle but taste differently. The different spices and vegetables that are put into the chow mein and pancit represent how cultures can influence how the food is cooked. As a food fanatic, I want to understand and share with others in what ways culture influences not only the food and its preparation by also the physical layout and design of the restaurant.
      My ultimate goal for this blog is to inform others about how foods can influence people as well as how/why different foods are prepared, eaten and used a certain way in different cultures. In my reviews I will aim to inform readers about my experience at each restaurant as well as the different types of food that was provided. When reviewing a restaurant, I will talk about my experience with things such as what the price range, the location, tastiness of the food, cleanliness, customer service, and ambiance of the eatery. By talking about those aspects of the restaurant, I will also explain how it contributes to the culture of the food. From there, I hope to integrate some cultural history about some of the food that I had eaten or seen at the restaurant. Lastly, I will give my final conclusion and thoughts about the food and whether or not the restaurant would be a good place to eat.